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Tiandu

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Tiandu
Mission typeTechnology demonstration
OperatorDeep Space Exploration Laboratory
CNSA
Mission duration1 year, 1 month, 7 days (in progress)
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftTiandu
ManufacturerDeep Space Exploration Laboratory
Start of mission
Launch date20 March 2024, 00:31 UTC[1]
RocketLong March 8[2]
Launch siteWenchang Space Launch Site LC-2[3]
Orbital parameters
Reference systemSelenocentricelliptic orbit
Lunar orbiter
Orbital insertion24 March 2024, 17:43 UTC[4]

Tiandu satellites are a pair of Chinese Lunar Exploration Program's lunarnavigation and communications test satellites based on Queqiao-2 relay satellite technology.[5][6][7][8]

Design and development

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Tiandu satellites will perform navigation and communications technology verificationexperiments while flying in formation in lunar orbit. Satellite-to-ground laser ranging as well as intersatellite microwave ranging techniques will also be tested.[5][9]

The Tiandu satellites' mission is to inform the design of China's proposed Queqiaolunar navigation and communication array. Supporting services for lunar surface operations would be provided by such system. Line-of-sight communications limits affect uncrewed and crewed operations on the Moon, especially at the lunar south pole, an area of great interest, or the lunar far side.[5][6][10]

The 61 kg (134 lb) Tiandu-1 carries a Kadual-band integrated communication payload, a laser retroreflector, a space router and other payloads. The 15 kg (33 lb) Tiandu-2 carries a communication payload and navigation devices.[5][6][11]

Mission

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The mission was launched together as a single probe with Queqiao 2 in 2024 on a Long March 8 rocket.[5][12]

After launch, the two satellites (while being attached to each other) underwent lunar orbit insertion on 24 March 2024 at 17:43 UTC and entered a large elliptical orbit around the Moon.[13] In that large elliptical orbit around the Moon, they separated on 3 April 2024[14] and later satellite-to-ground laser ranging are inter-satellite microwave ranging are to be carried out by these satellites via high-precision lunar orbit determination technology.[6][15][16]

References

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  1. ^"China launches Queqiao-2 relay satellite to support moon missions". Space.com. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  2. ^"China launches Queqiao-2 relay satellite to support moon missions". Space.com. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  3. ^"China launches Queqiao-2 relay satellite to support moon missions". Space.com. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  4. ^Jones, Andrew (2024-03-25). "China's Queqiao-2 relay satellite enters lunar orbit". SpaceNews. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  5. ^ abcde"Tiandu 1, 2". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  6. ^ abcdJones, Andrew (10 May 2023). "China to launch communications relay satellite to the moon in early 2024". Space.com.
  7. ^Andrew Jones (2023-05-09). "China to launch communications relay satellite to the moon in early 2024". Space.com. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  8. ^"MSN". www.msn.com. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  9. ^"Testing, testing … China to test new satellite tech for Chang'e 6 lunar mission". South China Morning Post. 2024-02-04. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  10. ^Litvinov, Nikita (2024-02-08). "China will launch experimental satellites to the Moon". Журнал The Universemagazine Space Tech. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  11. ^郭凯. "China set to launch two experimental satellites". www.chinadaily.com.cn. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  12. ^"China launches Queqiao-2 as key relay communication platform for future lunar missions - China Military". eng.chinamil.com.cn. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  13. ^Jones, Andrew (2024-03-25). "China's Queqiao-2 relay satellite enters lunar orbit". SpaceNews. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  14. ^"探月工程里程碑：天都二号卫星成功应用冷气微推进系统". Weixin Official Accounts Platform. Retrieved 2024-04-04.
  15. ^"我国将发射"天都一号""天都二号"探月卫星-新华网". www.news.cn. Retrieved 2024-03-20.
  16. ^Andrew Jones (2022-03-31). "China has big plans for its new Tiandu space exploration laboratory". Space.com. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
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